Facts worth knowing

In many cases, authorities, agencies, schools, courts of law, and other public institutions demand an official or certified translation for certain documents. What’s the difference between a normal translation and a certified translation? What specific features must it have to count as „certified“ or „official“? Here’s where to find the most important information on this topic.

Authenticated or certified translations can only be prepared by translators who have been publicly appointed, sworn, and certified by a court of law. With his/her signature, stamp, and endorsement the translator confirms the accuracy and completeness of his/her translation. Certified translations are in particular required by public agencies and courts of law, but also by schools and academic institutions.

They are translators who are called upon by a German “Landgericht” (district court) to act as expert consul­tants before court, e.g. for the translation of documents in connection with legal proceedings.

We sometimes receive requests from customers asking if we could certify translations they prepared themselves or texts translated by other people. Unfortunately, this is not possible. Here you will find out why.

The presentation of the original document is generally recommended; however, it is also possible to prepare a certified translation on the basis of a copy or a scan of the original. Even though the translator confirms the textual accuracy and completeness of his/her translation with the stamp, he/she thereby does not certify the authenticity of the original document.

Unfortunately, in Germany we’re not able to deliver a direct certified translation between two foreign languages, for instance from English into French. In a case like this, the regional courts require two separate translations – one from English into German and then one from German into French (with the German version inserted in between the English and French docu­ments). Click here to learn why this is so.

German authorities often require foreign documents to be translated. They decide at their discretion whether to accept translations produced outside Germany. Our guidemap gives you information on the topic of notarisation, certification, and recognition of foreign documents.

There are any number of reasons why marriage certificates issued abroad may need to be translated. What’s more, translations of marriage certificates sometimes also need to be presented together with other documents, for example with birth certificates or certificates of no impediment to marriage. Contact us to find out how we can be of help in translating your marriage documents.

Anyone who has already been married and is now divorced must present a certified translation of the divorce decree when applying for a new marriage license when the new spouse is of a different nationality. More information on this topic here.

An adoption abroad or of a child from a foreign country involves a wealth of paperwork, and most of these documents must be presented in Germany in the form of certified translations. Please contact us if you need assistance.

Are you applying at a foreign university? Or continuing your school education in a foreign country? Are you working in a foreign country from now on? Documents and certificates (school reports and degree certificates as well as licences to practise medicine, job references and certificates of conduct) often have to be translated into the relevant national language and certified. Please ask us what is to be done for your documents and certificates to be recognised and accepted in foreign countries.

The assertion of pension claims in or from a foreign country is a complicated matter, requiring the presentation of the necessary documents in the local language. We’d be glad to translate them for you.

We will translate your foreign driving licence into German. You will receive a certified translation of your driving licence from us, as well as all the necessary information to make the transcription of your document easier for the authorities. Please feel free to contact us.

The so-called Brexit process has made many British citizens living in Germany very insecure, and many have already considered applying for German citizenship. But there are, of course, lots of other people living in Germany who would like to become naturalized as German citizens. The process involves a wealth of documents that have to be translated into German. Contact us – we’d be glad to be of assistance.

Are you considering changing your citizenship status, meaning that you’ll have to present various documents in several different languages? Here you can find further details on what the process involves and how we can be of assistance with certified translations.

In order to register a subsidiary or branch in Germany, all necessary documents have to be presented in German to the responsible register court. Please feel free to contact us for a certified translation.

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